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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26031847">Merlin has everyone wrapped around his little finger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriadnaL/pseuds/AriadnaL'>AriadnaL</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Everyone Loves Merlin (Merlin), Jealous Arthur, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Merlin's Neckerchief (Merlin), Merlin-centric (Merlin), Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), POV Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Pre-Relationship, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Knights (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:40:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26031847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriadnaL/pseuds/AriadnaL</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was well known that everyone who knew Merlin loved him, including powerful people, but certainly it wasn’t something to worry about, right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>940</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The castle staff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was supposed to be a 5 times-kind-of-fic, but I'm satisfied with only 4 haha.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Aren’t you supposed to be cleaning the stables, washing my clothes or getting ready the water for my bath as I told you this morning, Merlin?” asked slightly annoyed King Arthur, watching his poor excuse of manservant talking carefree with some other servant, was it Gregor? Gabriel? Gage? Something with ‘g’, probably.</p><p>“Oh! Right, I was, but then Milo, you know, one of the stables boy’s, told me that he could do the cleaning in there, because it was his job, after all; and then Angie, one of the maids of the castle, told me that she could wash your clothes, since she did the washing from everyone else in the castle, so I was just going to get your water, Sir” said Merlin, oblivious of the King anger.</p><p>Before he could asked why others would offer to do Merlin’s work, the guy who was talking with Merlin said “I was actually going to get water too, I could get ready yours while I’m there, It wouldn’t be a problem at all”, while batting his eyelashes at Merlin.</p><p>“Oh, I wouldn’t like to get you more work, George” said Merlin, uncertain.</p><p>“Seriously, I had already finished my chores, it wouldn’t bother me, I’m sure you had other things to attend” reassured the servant boy, with a smile on his face and caressing Merlin’s arm not so very discretely. Who was this boy and why was he so freely touching Merlin?</p><p>“Oh, it would be really helpful, thank you, George!” exclaimed Merlin, beaming at him with a dopey smile on his face, one that was usually reserved for Arthur. Maybe the kingdom of Leinster needed more staff, hopefully, someone like George.</p><p>“Not problem at all, Merlin” told him George, almost watching Merlin with heart eyes, totally lost on the King’s manservant’s face, before leaving, presumably to get the water.</p><p>“Well, I guess everything you asked for is already being taken care of, so I’m going to help Gaius now” told him Merlin, before quickly adjusting the crown in the king’s head, clearly thinking something like ‘<em>Why do you always have it askew, Arthur?’</em>, smiling satisfied with the result and then turning to leave.</p><p>“Wait, Merlin! I know you’re the worst servant of the castle, but you can’t make other people take care of your chores!” shouted Arthur, not really angry, more worried if everyone was making favors to Merlin to get him to like them.</p><p>“But I didn’t ask them to do it! They just offered!” shouted Merlin, ignorant of Arthur’s thoughts, he probably wouldn’t even realize if someone were flirting shamelessly with him.</p><p>“Yeah, because half of them wanted to get into your pants, Merlin, that’s not an attitude expected of the manservant of the king!” shouted Arthur, now angry, he needed to stop this right now.</p><p>“What are you talking about? They were just helping me as I always do with them, probably because they know how tiring it is to deal with you every day, prat!” shouted Merlin on his own, because Arthur was really good at making him angry.</p><p>“Oh, so now that’s how you address your king, Merlin? Really? I think some time in the dungeons would serve to get you some manners, wouldn’t it?” asked the king, wanting to take his oblivious manservant’s shoulders and shake him until he realized that others wanted to shag him thoroughly.</p><p>“You’re joking. I didn’t do anything, Arthur!” Shouted again Merlin, disbelievingly of Arthur’s mood just because of some favors of the castle’s staff, it wasn’t even the first time something like this happened, it was just the first time the king witnessed it.</p><p>And that’s how Merlin get himself into the dungeons for third time that month. First the incident with the candles, there were hundreds of them, how was Merlin supposed to light all of them without magic? ‘<em>Like any other manservant, you idiot! You’re not allowed to make magic where anyone can see you!”</em>, then the issue with the lake, he wasn’t even there to swim, it was Gwaine who get him to almost drown ‘<em>Are you lunatic, Merlin? You could’ve died! And now you appear in front of you king like a wet puppy without even a change of clothes, everyone is going to get ideas of your wet body, go get something dry, you idiot!’</em></p><p>Damn, Arthur has been in some really bad moods lately. Merlin make a mental note to find a way to appease the King later, he likes when Merlin join him for court sessions, it made the King more tolerable of anyone else’s opinion, according to Lancelot; he also likes it when his servant volunteered for sword training because ‘<em>You can’t always rely on you magic, you need to know how to fight, Merlin’</em>; hopefully he would just need to get him some mango desserts from the kitchen.</p><p>“Again in here, Merlin?” asked Ulric, one of the guards of the dungeons. Ulric and his wife had liked Merlin since he aided to cure their little kid some years ago.</p><p>“Yeah, the king is probably stressed because of the meeting with Leinster and I’m just annoying enough to get him angrier” sighed Merlin, resigned at his fate.</p><p>“Oh, well, he didn’t really specify how long you were supposed to be here, so you could probably leave by now” said Rowan, the other guard who happen to be the brother of George.</p><p>“Really? I don’t want to get you in trouble guys” asked Merlin, uncertain of his decision, but already mentalizing himself asleep on his own bed.</p><p>“Yeah, don’t worry, the king is always madder when you get some cut in some cell or when you are trembling because of the cold when you pass the night locked, this is the most reasonable decision long-term, believe me” said Ulric while opening the cell.</p><p>“Thank you! I’m going to make it up to you guys” told them Merlin, planning to cook them something with magic later, he had been told his cookies are to die for.</p><p>“Don’t worry Merlin, just try not to get into more trouble” said Rowan, with a fond smile on his face.</p><p>Later, when Merlin entered the royal chambers with the dinner for the king, bringing extra mango desserts, Arthur saw him with a painful frown. “Please don’t tell me my guards leave you out again” said the king with a sigh, trying to mask the relief he felt when he realized Merlin wasn’t going to get a cold for sleeping in a cell.</p><p>“Uh, well, then I’m not going to tell you. Oh! Look! I got you pay, I convinced the cook to give me two slices because I know it’s your favorite!” said Merlin, being his usual charming self.</p><p>“My staff is spoiling you” said Arthur, already getting a chair for Merlin to dine beside his king.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The knights of the round table</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A knight tried to hit Merlin...It didn't end well for the knight.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even when Merlin was cute, funny, loyal, brave and a great friend, they were some people who dare to insult him or even hit him because he was a “mere servant”. It happened rarely, and mostly when King Uther ruled, because Arthur had a very serious politic about the wellbeing of his servants, but it still happened occasionally from those who weren’t used to Camelot’s laws. People who mistreat servants were hated not only by Artur, but also by Gwen, the castle staff and even the knights. People who mistreat Merlin didn’t know they were digging his own grave.</p><p>One moment, Merlin was helping with the training of the knights because Arthur had been on council meetings all day and then, Sir Destrian, one of the new knights, was shouting at Merlin “You, useless boy, I asked you to get me my sword, not any other sword!” in a condescending tone that make everyone else in the training field still.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Sir, if you could tell me which one is yours, I could bring it to you” said Merlin, aware that he could not talk back to other knights because even if he was more than a friend to the king, he was also just a servant. What would it say of Camelot, of Arthur, if the staff of the kingdom, more precisely the king’s manservant were rude with someone with a higher place?</p><p>“Do I have to do your Job? And don’t get mouthy with me, boy. You probably need to learn some good manners”, said the knight, already raising his hand to slap Merlin in the face.</p><p>Before Sir Destrian could reach the boy, thought, Leon, Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and Lancelot were already in front of him, putting distance between him and Merlin. All of them had their hands in their swords, ready to unfold it if need it; only Gwaine was aiming at Destrian with his sword unfolded.</p><p>“Woah, you should probably reconsider hitting Merlin, mate” said Elyan, giving the other knight a glare.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re really lucky King Arthur is not here right now” told him Percival with a frown.</p><p>“He’s not going to be lucky if he dares to touch Merlin or shout to him again” said Gwaine, taking a step forward, clearly prepared to fight the knight.</p><p>“Calm down Gwaine, Sir Destrian is probably unaware that Merlin is King’s Artur manservant” said Leon, trying to appease the situation, he was also unhappy with Destrian, but maybe this could be resolved without a combat.</p><p>“He’s just a servant! Why are you all defending him?” asked Destrian, annoyed and befuddled of the other knights’ attitude.</p><p>“No servant should be treated like that” answered Gwaine in a cold voice, without lowering his sword.</p><p>“Gwaine and Percival are right, Sir Destrian. You shouldn’t treat anyone like that, and for Merlin, well, the last knight who dare to hit him was challenged by the king himself and forced to leave Camelot with a black eye and lots of bruises. You should really reconsider your actions” said Lancelot, giving him a hard look, not even trying to get Gwaine to lower his weapon.</p><p>Of course, the fool didn’t relent and still wanted to ‘teach the boy some manners’. Gwaine did get him to apologize repeatedly to Merlin after challenging him and leaving the knight with a slip lip. Sir Destrian left the castle the next day, his pride couldn’t endure the glares of everyone in Camelot, nor the treatment of the staff after everyone knew what he had almost done.</p><p>All the knights received a nod from Arthur when the king was updated of the situation and a smile of gratitude from Merlin when he found out Destrian had left.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The peasants of Camelot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Arthur is so done with everyone spoiling his servant.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Merlin, I’m aware that you can eat like a pig, but would you mind telling me why have you been eating so much chocolate lately? Where did you even get it from?” said Arthur, glaring at Merlin from his chair. It have been happening since a couple of days, when they were listening at the council, when Arthur was training the knights, after they were done eating, even when they went hunting, Merlin always have some chocolate to eat, why?</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry, do you want some? I have different flavors” told him Merlin, showing him the chocolates on his pockets. Arthur just glared at him until he felt in some way chastised.</p><p>“I just keep receiving them! A couple of days ago I told a little girl, Emma, you know, the daughter of Ulric, one of the dungeons’ guards, that I could eat chocolate all week without getting tired of it because it was delicious; next I know, her mother gave me a chocolate, then the traders of the market, then the blacksmiths, then the tailors, then their kids. I can’t even reject it, I love chocolate! And they keep saying it’s not an issue” said Merlin, somewhat troubled with the situation.</p><p>“Are you seriously telling me that the peasants of my kingdom keep giving you chocolate because you told them you loved it?” said Arthur, bemused. Well, this wasn’t exactly a tactic to get into Merlin’s pants. If Arthur was afraid of what his staff or even his knights would do for Merlin, now he afraid of what would all Camelot do for the boy.</p><p>“Uhm, I can give you some, it’s pretty tasty and it’s more than even I can eat. I will end fat like you in no time” said Merlin, glancing at his own stomach worriedly.</p><p>“I’m not fat!” shouted Arthur, angry again.</p><p>“Well, you still have your muscle, so I’ll give you that, sire” answered Merlin with a grin.</p><p>“Shut up and give me the black one” said Arthur, already planning to make a law to prohibit anyone but the King to feed Merlin.</p><p>So, if the people of Camelot started to give Merlin strawberries because the king spread the rumor that Merlin loved strawberries, well, it’s because the king can’t allow his manservant to become fat, not because said manservant loves strawberries more that chocolate and said manservant smiles brightly at anyone who offer him one, really.</p><p>‘Maybe I can get the cook to make some chocolate strawberries’ thought Arthur, after seeing the dopey smile on Merlin after adjusting Artur’s crown for third time that day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Other kingdoms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Why is everyone asking for Merlin?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were supposed to arrive different nobles from different kingdoms at Camelot that afternoon, all in an attempt of King Arthur Pendragon to bolster alliances. King Arthur was personally receiving everyone, he wanted to be on the good side of different kingdoms.</p><p>Camelot was at his best, servants cleaning every part of the castle, making the best meals they could master for the feast; peasants dressing themselves in their best attires to receive the noblemen and noblewomen; knights parading at the entry of the castle with their red capes that distinguished them. It was all a great deal, after all.</p><p>Arthur even excused his attempt of manservant during the greetings because he wanted everyone at his best behavior. What the king of Camelot wasn’t expecting at all (nor anyone, really) was for the nobles to ask for certain idiot.</p><p>“Thank you for inviting us, Arthur. My Queen and I were looking forward to return since our last visit. I can see you did a good work with the rice fields, we can discuss our trades tomorrow, after the feast” said King Tristan of Diarmata as gretting.</p><p>“You’re very welcome, Tristan. Please, come in an enjoy our festivities tonight, tomorrow we can talk about our Kingdoms” said Arthur as welcome.</p><p>“Oh, where is your manservant this afternoon? He was attached at your hip last time we came” said Tristan, curiously.</p><p>“My manservant? You mean Merlin?” asked Arthur, a little dazzled, why was this king asking about Merlin? What did he do?</p><p>“Yeah, that curious boy has pretty good ideas about the kingdom, you’ll be doing great if everyone around you have half the brain of that boy” said Tristan with a smile. Is he seriously talking about Merlin? The same Merlin who tripped over his own feet this morning?</p><p>“He’s… taking part in the preparations for tonight” answered Arthur, still confused. It wasn’t a lie, Merlin had made a tantrum of not been able to greet the guests, but he had resigned himself to help Gwen with the preparations.</p><p>“Well, I hope we can talk to him before the feast” said Tristan before a speech of how well Arthur had managed everything after the death of his father and how his father has managed different achievements, but Arthur was only half listening, still thinking about what the other king has said about Merlin, did he mistake his manservant with other man? He couldn’t be talking about him, right? Merlin was sometimes a good advisor and occasionally he had wise comments about Camelot, but that’s all.</p><p>Arthur was pulled from his thoughts when Queen Katrina of Oriel arrived. “What a lovely day, thank you for inviting us again, Arthur. I wanted to see the beautiful capes of your knights, there’s not red in other kingdom as the red of Camelot, let me tell you” said the woman with a smile.</p><p>“It’s a pleasure to have you here, Queen Katrina. I’m glad some of our attires are approved by you, you have the best taste, after all” said Arthur content, he had always liked the cloaks of his knights.</p><p>“Oh, that reminds me, where’s your personal servant? He’s not hiding from me, is he? Because I packed enough fabric to make him at least ten clothing sets and I need my servants to take his measures” said Katrina, looking for said manservant behind Arthur.</p><p>“You mean…Merlin, my lady?” asked Artur, widening his eyes a little. This is the second person who asked for his manservant that day, what’s all this about?</p><p>“Yes, yes, that boy would be lost without my counsels in clothes…Well, he has lovelies handkerchiefs, but the flannel is all wrong” said Katrina with a little frown.</p><p> The Queen keep talking about fabrics and clothes, but Arthur couldn’t pay attention, he needed to talk to Merlin about his lack in protocol while talking with other Kings and Queens.</p><p>He was once again pulled from his thoughts by the Prince and Princess of Leinster.</p><p>“Greetings, King Arthur, my parents are deeply sorry that they couldn’t personally come, but they sent us as representants of Leinster” said Prince Favian when he was in front of Arthur.</p><p>“We also came with some desserts and candies from our kingdom as gifts for the inconvenient” said Princess Ryia.</p><p>“There was no need for that, I thank you for coming here and for the offerings you bring. I hope the journey wasn’t unpleasant for you” said Arthur as greeting.</p><p>“Oh no, we were looking forward to see Camelot again” said Favian with a smile.</p><p>“Also, we brought some desserts specially for Merlin, can I ask, where is he?” asked Ryia, looking at the servants at the door of the castle, clearly noticing Merlin’s absent.</p><p>“You brought desserts…for Merlin” repeated Arthur a little bemused, maybe if he repeated it enough, he would understand it.</p><p>“Oh yes, he’s really lovely when he’s feed. Like a puppy having a treat, we promised to bring him some chocolate from our kingdom last time we visited” said Favian with a fond smile.</p><p>“He’s…attending the preparations for the feast, but he’ll be there tonight” said Arthur, now decided to look for his manservant after greeting all the guests.</p><p>After a while looking for his inept servant, Arthur found him at his chambers, arranging Arthur’s clothes for the banquet.</p><p>“Merlin, do you want to tell me why King Tristan of Diarmata, Queen Katrina of Oriel, and Prince Favian with Princess Ryia of Leinster keep asking for your company at the banquet tonight?” said Arthur, giving his manservant one of his glares of <em>What did you do now, Merlin?</em></p><p>“Uhm, well, yoy know, Favian and Ryia just probably want to feed me, they kept telling me how skinny I was during their last visit in Camelot, Queen Katrina is most likely looking forward to dress me in ridiculous attires and hats because I’m like a doll for her, seriously, and King Tristan is no doubt just wanting to talk to me, he said I was <em>refreshing</em>, a <em>good counselor</em> and <em>great company</em> the first time we met” answered Merlin, blushing a little at the compliments at the end.</p><p>Arthur keeps staring at him as if he had lost his head. “Only you Merlin, would catch other kingdoms’ attention when you should be trying to be useful for yours”, said the king, frowning.</p><p>“Oh, well, King Tristan wanted to make and alliance with Camelot last time he visited us, I can probably approach the topic during dinner if you want me to. Queen Katrina would be willing to trade silk and linen with us if I told her it’s for our clothes, she’s decided to get me to wear something <em>decent</em>, after all. About Favian and Ryia… well, they’re not the head of their kingdom, but it would be useful if we keep a good relationship with them, I’m pretty sure they wanted their parents to declare war with Wendem when their prince spilled wine at me for not filling his goblet fast enough” Said Merlin, as if it were his job to make relationship with other kingdoms.</p><p>Arthur was speechless, he knew that Merlin was loveable, how could anyone think of harm him? The general reaction after meeting him is to hide him somewhere safe where he could not get injured, but this is a little extreme, right?</p><p>“Arthur? Are you listening to me?” said Merlin, frowning.</p><p>After a while, the king told him “Have you met the royalty of Mercia? We should probably invite them next month…and Merlin, make sure you used your best puppy face, we want an alliance with them”</p>
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  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
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